


Meteor City

by ephona



Series: Ephona's drabbles [3]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-03-07 18:30:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3178658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephona/pseuds/ephona





	Meteor City

They’d never find me here.  The city was far behind me now, only a broken pathway built by the hands of fools.  Ahead of me was a place famous for being the armpit of the entire world.  I could tell just by running over the desolation and junk.  It smelled dank, like a grotesque mix of rotting carcass and human waste.  Any place on the ground was covered by bits of wood, metal, ceramic, cloth and other types of materials.  Signs of life were devoid as far as I could see.  But I knew people lived here.  The rumors of latent criminals hiding in the caverns of trash, the tales of ill, newborn and other unwanted people being dropped off here to die in the elements; all of them were countless.  It would take hours for Father to find me once he’d realized I had abandoned the mission.

Once the city was far out of my sight, I stopped, legs perched high upon what seemed like someone’s old heirloom statue.  I’d heard stories about things but never realized how large Meteor City ranged.  It was a desert of desolation.  My awe, however, didn’t keep me from hearing every little sound around me.  My ears had been fine-tuned enough that I heard footsteps immediately. 

“Come out.  You can’t hide from me.”

From behind a large pile of scrap and splinters (seemingly resembling an arch the way they were put together) came a young boy.  Well, young in theory.  I was younger than him, it was obvious.  He wore a white tunic that covered his torso down to the first half of his thighs.  Lean arms poked through torn and crude armholes.  He wore nothing on his feet nor on his head where his grizzled red hair stuck out like a sore thumb among the rubble.   And he was smiling.  His hands were level with his head and he seemed to laugh mockingly at me as he came towards me.

“All right, All right.  Seems you’re not like the average men who come around here.”

“Who are you?”

“I should be asking you that.  You’re standing on my tower.”

“You’re … what?” He actually seemed serious. 

“My tower.  The main tower of my kingdom actually.  I wouldn’t stand there if I were you.”

I stood up straight on this street-rat’s so called tower.   “Why? It’s junk.”

“Because if you don’t get off in three seconds, I’m gonna kill you.”

 

Oh, so that’s what this was.  A challenge.  Seemed this detour was going to be much more fun than I thought.  How strong were the people in the fabled Meteor City?  Were they even worth my time?  Especially a small boy?  As any battles seemed to start, there was no formalities.  The instant someone moved, the chase was on.  And I knew the upper hand was needed.

I jumped down off the statue, ducking under a large piece of plywood before making my getaway.  The boy was on me in seconds, greedy hands reaching towards me.  Seemed his kingdom was an intricate system of junk tunnels and arches that he probably knew blind.  So he had the home court advantage.  I, at eight years old, had more skill than him, easily.  I lept back up on the statue before darting north towards a large hole full of old appliances and molding cloth.  Then towards the arch. Then back around.  His speed was nothing on mine.  I settled wedged between two sheets of plywood for a moment, watching the boy walk around like all of this was a game.

“You’re fast.  Can’t say I’ve seen anyone faster than you.  Except …” His golden eyes turned towards me and he was standing by the wood before I could even move a finger.  He reached out again, managing to grab a fistful of my hair before I darted away.  I couldn’t believe it; he was laughing at me!  I clutched myself onto the skeleton of an old vehicle, staring him down.  As he rushed towards me, I used all my strength to hurl the metal frame at him, making my escape as it crunched onto the ground.  But he dodged that with ease.  I ran back around, finding myself at the strange statue again.  I could track his movements if I stayed here above him.  Father had always taught me that watching from a higher place was better.  The boy soon realized where I was but he didn’t do anything.  He just stood there.

“On my tower again are you?”

“This is annoying.  If you want to kill me so bad why don’t you get started?”

He paused.  Then grinned.  In the blink of an eye, he clenched his fist sending an unknown force to come down removing the base of the statute from under me.  I could see just for a brief second that under that statue’s base was a trap filled with rusty sharp spines.  As I fell, I adjusted my small frame focusing on the bluntest of the objects, adjusting my fall so that my palms fell perfectly on them only minimally piercing through my palms.  With one flip, I avoided not only the trap but also the falling stone of the statue from above me. 

The boy just stood there, seemingly impressed by avoiding death so easily. 

“Well.” The boy shrugged and then … applauded me.  He was in front of me again but, this time, all hostility had gone from him.  “I’ve never met someone younger than me who can even stand up to me.”

“You obviously haven’t been out much.”

“Oh no, I’ve been many places.  Even grown-ups can’t face me without a few broken bones and crushed organs.  But you … “ a click of the tongue.  “Impressive.”   

His pale hand stretched out towards me in a kind gesture.  A handshake.

“You’re the first one I’ve decided not to kill since coming here.   Seems you’re worthy to live.”

“Worthy to live?  Are you trying to make fun of me?”

“No no! Consider it an honor.”

“I’m not shaking hands with you.”

“It’s a symbol of truce!”

Truce? “I don’t make truces.  Especially with a washed-up fart.”

“Hey I’m twelve.  I can’t be much older than you!”

“Oh. All right so not that old.”

His grin widened. “Wow~ I really like you.” He placed his hand down at his side.  “No truce, then.  Maybe we’ll continue being enemies forever.  Sound fun?”

“I suppose …” I didn’t let myself show it but I really did enjoy the little chase.  Usually, the targets I had didn’t even put up a fight.  This one, even though he wasn’t my target, put up enough fight that I could feel the blood pooling from my palms onto the heels of my feet. 

“Well.  We must know each other’s names then.”

“Fine. You first.”

“You can just call me Hisoka, the great magician!”

“Illumi.  Illumi Zoldyck.”


End file.
